EDITORIAL CONVIDADO
Mara Behlau
Presidente da International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP)
To analyze what was conquered by the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences in 2007 requires that we keep a healthy distance from smaller day-to-day facts that sometimes can be discouraging and can drain our strengths. To face a new stage of challenges, since all of the necessary ingredients are present: understanding that the work with communication is an essential factor for the happiness of human beings and for the peace of the world, the conscience that we have already surpassed the initial obstacle of having professional acknowledgement and the possibility of receiving full titles.
The Brazilian Speech, Language and Hearing community is the second largest world concentration of professionals outmatched only by the United States. Our national congress is also the second greatest event of our class, outmatched only by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association - ASHA. Although occupying the second quantitative position, our academic production is a lot smaller than that of the United States. Among the possible causes of this fact, we can point that less than 10% of the 30 thousand speech-language and hearing pathologists registered at the Federal Council of Speech, Language and Hearing Pathology - CFFa are members of the Brazilian Speech, Language and Hearing Society - SBFa, only 13% have a specialist titles and it is estimated that only 3% have masters and 1% have a Ph.D title. It challenges our imagination, to think about what we would be capable of doing and producing if we raised these percentages.
The scenery can be discouraging, however, in 2007, we had two events of great magnitude and tradition, with scientific and financial success: the 22nd International Meeting of Audiology - EIA, in Natal, RN, with 860 participants and the 15th Brazilian Congress and 7th International Congress of SBFa, in Gramado, RS, with 1400 participants. Also, the Brazilian Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences demonstrated to have the strength to organize the 2nd International Composium of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics IALP, in São Paulo, SP, with 744 participants. In this last event we received 17 foreigners who had their presentations commented by 60 well named Brazilian professors, constituting the largest national speech, language and hearing exposition to different international realities. This included the assessment of the North-American, incontestable leader of the scientific production of this area, the sophistication of the Belgian and German analyzes and the valuable perspective of countries where the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences faces its initial challenges, like Egypt and Malta. The real impact that the Brazilian Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences produced in the organization committee of IALP will certainly have a positive unfolding. The initial effects are already present: we have seven colleagues who are members of committees of specific areas of IALP and one colleague who is part of the special work force on life quality and communication disorders; a greater number of Brazilians who are individual members of associations; and several colleagues required training and continued education in institutions that are abroad.
This August I assumed the chair position of IALP, in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark. Fact which was honorably celebrated by myself and colleagues who demonstrated a great sense of pride. Last month I was invited to be part of the board of international directors of ASHA (ASHA International Board of Directors). During the last decade, this association has also seen the need of broadening professional horizons to other countries of the world and to appreciate the international Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, as one of its important goals.
At IALP I learned that the world has no frontiers to the person who knows how to communicate and that communication is the most effective strategy to consolidate an international network, so necessary to gain the quality wanted in the near future. The forecast is good: in August 2009 we will have the 6th International Congress of Fluency Disorders and in 2010 the 30th International Congress of Audiology, both in Brazil, organized respectively by Dr. Claudia Furquim de Andrade and Dr. Ieda Russo, placing our country permanently in the international scientific path.
My personal desires are always ambitious and also real: to have a Qualis IA journal that represents the national Brazilian production, to publish Brazilian studies in international journals with high impact factors, to acknowledge that our science is able to transform international scientific thoughts and to contribute in a way that the Brazilian institutions can unite conditions to receive international students who can also learn from us. Is it too much to ask or is it only a matter of gathering strength to face a challenge that has the size of our preparation and of our strength?
In 2010 we will be in Athens, Greece, to attend the 30th International IALP, celebrating the first decade of the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences in that country. Brazil can be a model, presenting its important conquests in limited conditions. Prepare yourselves, young speech-language and hearing pathologists and colleagues leaders of research groups: the opportunities lay ahead of us, research agencies that give financial support give prestige to good projects and there are enough hands to applaud colleagues of all nationalities and of different scientific orientations, knowing for sure that no one makes success alone.
Have a good 2008, full of work, energy and with the mind focused on our most important goal: the growth of the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.
Mara Behlau
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
15 Jan 2008 -
Date of issue
Dec 2007
